רב גמדא

Rav Gamda was an amora whose teachings appear across the Talmud, most often as one who brings the rulings of earlier authorities. He cites statements in the name of Rava — as in Bava Kamma, where he explains a case of one who slaughters part of the sacrificial signs outside the courtyard and completes the act within — and in the name of Rav, as in Beitzah, where he sets the measure of a particular law.

He is recorded engaging the great sages of his generation. In Bava Kamma he brings a teaching before Rav Ashi, who responds by weighing the reliability of Rav Hamnuna, a disciple of Rav. In Ketubot he sits together with Ameimar, Mar Zutra and Rav Ashi in a discussion concerning a rebellious daughter-in-law of Rav Zevid and the disposition of worn garments, and he cites a ruling of Rav Zevid while sharply observing that the others were flattering him. In Nedarim a story is told of Rav Gamda giving four zuz to sailors to bring him merchandise; finding nothing, they brought him a monkey, which slipped away into a hole, and when they dug after it they found it resting upon precious pearls, which they brought to him.